Customer Reviews

Live at the Palladium

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After years of false hope, the Legendary Concert Event from the greatest ever Mother/Daughter Duo in Show Business history finally released in somewhat complete form on Compact Disc & holds up all these years later as an extraordinary event to experience over and over. A touching LiZa introduction to an enraptured London audience by Judy who is sounding very proud, teenage Liza comes out to the receptive audience giving stunning performances and clearly a new star is born at The London Palladium on that wondrous night and the love affair with English audiences continues to date. Mama Garland gave her master-class with tremendous performances that rocked & riveted the sold-out Palladium and this once-in-a-lifetime legendary event is deserving of this well thought out but long-overdue banner release! Duets are exhuberant and beautifully performed & arranged and balance between these are perfection with tremendous showstopping solo performances. Liza in strong & soulful vocal form make "Gypsy In My Soul", "The Travelin' Life" & "Who's Sorry Now" thrilling to experience while Judy sings up a storm with a riveting "What Now My Love" which has to be one of the all-time greatest performances ever from any singer & cited as definitive version by composer Gilbert Becaud. A passionate and deeply soulful vocal make "The Man That Got Away" from "A Star Is Born" masterpiece difficult to top while the deeply moving "The Music That Makes Me Dance" from "Funny Girl" is richly dramatic and a beautiful vocal...final note in the stormy almost off the track yet perfectly sung "Never Will I Marry" is incredible...classic performance of Charlie Champlin's "Smile" is moving, memorable and impossible to compare making this performance definitive. "Hooray For Love" duet is amazing to experience with both singers in top form & Judy takes "You And The Night And The Music" over the top and one can hear the audience gasp! Throughout all these great performances one can tell the audience went totally crazy and this joyful event is the greatest DIVA Fest of all time and a magical musical ride to be enjoyed over and over...thank you Judy & Liza for this extraordinary musical treasure!

I share the frustration of "Richard J. Gatton "Garland Fan #1"" regarding DRG's incomplete compliation of the Palladium concert with Judy & Liza, but there is a near COMPLETE 2-CD out there, produced in Germany. It's on the "Public Domain (A new Label of ZYX Music)" (PD 2005-2) label. It has 19 numbers (including "The Music That Makes Me Dance"). It is a beautiful transfer and well worth seeking-out. Contact me if you would like more information.
1964 Concert
Act I:
Overture: Over the Rainbow/Once in a Lifetime/Never Will
I Marry/What Now, My Love?/Liza/The Travelin' Life/
Smile/Maybe This Time/The Man That Got Away
Once in a Lifetime (Garland)
Maggie, Maggie May (Garland)
As Long As He Needs Me (Garland)(Nov. 8 only)
Just in Time (Garland)
It's Yourself (Garland)
The Travelin' Life (Minnelli)
Pass That Peace Pipe (Minnelli)(Nov. 8 only)
The Gypsy in My Soul (Minnelli)
How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Love You When
You Know I've Been a Liar All My Life? (Minnelli)
Hello, Dolly (Duet)
Together (Wherever We Go)(Duet)
Smile (Garland)
Never Will I Marry (Garland)
What Now, My Love? (Garland)(in Act II on Nov. 15)
The Man That Got Away (Garland)(in Act I on Nov. 8)
Medley: We Could Make Such Beautiful Music/The Best Is
Yet to Come/Bob White/Don't Rain on My Parade/Swanee
(in Act II on Nov. 8)(Duet)
Act II:
Medley: By Myself/Take Me Along/If I Could Be With You/
Me and My Shadow/That's Entertainment/Tea for Two/
Who?/They Can't Take That Away From Me/I Love a
Piano (Nov. 15 only (?))/Mammy)(Minnelli)
Medley: Hooray for Love/After You've Gone/By Myself/'S
Wonderful/How About You?/Lover, Come Back to Me/
You and the Night and the Music/It All Depends on You
(Duet)
Make Someone Happy (Garland)
Joey, Joey, Joey (Garland)
The Man That Got Away (Garland)(in Act I on Nov. 15)
The Music That Makes Me Dance (Garland)
It's Just a Matter of Time (Minnelli)
I'm All I've Got (Minnelli)
If I Were in Your Shoes (Minnelli)
What Now, My Love? (Garland)(in Act I on Nov. 8)
Medley: Johnny One Note (Nov. 15 only)/Get Happy
- Happy Days Are Here Again/When the Saints Go
Marchin' In - Brotherhood of Man/He's Got the Whole
World in His Hands/Battle Hymn of the Republic (Duet)
(Nov. 8 only)
Encores:
Rock-a-bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody (Garland)
Who's Sorry Now? (Minnelli)
Swanee (in Act I on Nov. 8)(Duet)
Chicago (Duet on Nov. 8)(Garland solo on Nov. 15)
Over the Rainbow (Garland)
San Francisco (Duet)
__________________________
1965 LP
Side 1:
Overture: Over the Rainbow/
Never Will I Marry/What Now,
My Love?/Liza/The Travelin' Life/
Smile/The Man That Got Away
The Man That Got Away (Garland)
The Travelin' Life (Minnelli)
Gypsy in My Soul (Minnelli)
Hello, Dolly (Duet)
Together (Wherever We Go)(Duet)
Medley: We Could Make Such
Beautiful Music Together/Bob
White (Duet)
Side 2:
Medley: Hooray For Love/After
You've Gone/By Myself/'S
Wonderful/How About You?/You
and the Night and the Music/
Who's Sorry Now? (Duet)
Who's Sorry Now?
Smile (Garland)
How Could You Believe Me When I
Said I Love You When You Know
I've Been a Liar All My Life?
(Minnelli)
What Now, My Love? (Garland)
Side 3:
Medley: Take Me Along/If I Could
Be With You/Tea For Two/Who?/
They Can't Take That Away From
Me/By Myself/Take Me Along/
Mammy (Minnelli)
Make Someone Happy (Garland)
Pass That Peace Pipe (Minnelli)
The Music That Makes Me Dance
(Garland)
Medley: When the Saints Go
Marching In/He's Got the Whole
World in His Hands (Duet)
Side 4:
Never Will I Marry (Garland)
Encores:
Swanee (Duet)
Chicago (Duet)
Over the Rainbow (Garland)
San Francisco (Duet)

If you've only ever seen the filmed version of the 1964 Judy Garland/Liza Minnelli London Palladium concert, then this disc will be a real treat. It's a combination of two nights in the concert's run; Garland's well-known vocal problems during this time (and acutely witnessed in the filmed performance) aren't as apparent.

The concert was recorded, first and foremost, because Garland owed the Capitol label another album. The previous year had been taken up by the commitments involving her TV series, and Garland naturally didn't want to compromise her voice by overworking it on additional projects. Capitol excitedly took on the album as a "sequel-of-sorts" to her legendary live Carnegie Hall platter.

The 1964 London Palladium concert also showcased a burgeoning Liza Minnelli, only a few months before her Tony Award-winning Broadway debut in "Flora, The Red Menace". She had just released her first solo album ("Liza! Liza!") on the Capitol label, but her ability in performing for a paying concert crowd had yet to be tested. What she lacked in a fully polished performance was more than compensated by her incredible energy and unique charm. She was barely eighteen years old when "Momma" plucked her up to perform as a co-star in Garland's long awaited London return! Her songs, mostly taken from the "Liza! Liza!" album, included such great pieces as "It's Just a Matter of Time", "Gypsy in My Soul", and "The Travelin' Life". A later addition to Minnelli's set, "Pass That Peace-Pipe", came from the movie version of GOOD NEWS, and also acted within the concert as a charming throwback to the 'MGM days' of Garland. Another lively Minnelli number, "How Could You Believe Me...?", might well have been introduced by Garland herself (Jane Powell eventually replaced her in the MGM favourite ROYAL WEDDING after she suffered a breakdown).

While Garland was clearly experiencing some frustrating vocal difficulties during the Palladium season (most of which have been unfairly pegged by biographers as the by-effects of Garland trying to somehow compete in her duets with Minnelli); Judy Garland gives one of her most remarkable performances, in particular her haunting, time-stands-still "The Music That Makes Me Dance" (from FUNNY GIRL), the manic "What Now My Love?"; and a charming "Never Will I Marry".

This was to be Garland's final engagement at the Palladium; one can't help but feel it was her way of "handing the torch" to Minnelli. From beginning to end it's a sheer tour-de-force. Recommended.

Sadly with the untimely passing of Scott Schechter who lovingly produced and watched over the recording legacy of Judy & Liza, this legendary event is once again shelved & little wonder the music industry is in such as mess and outlook is not good when something this great has yet to be released at least in original form on Compact Disc from the great original double LP. Scott put together this stellar release with songs in order as originally performed and thankfully send me an advanced pressing featuring entire uncut concert plus rehearsal performances!
Only back in the great musical sixties could a legendary event happen like this once-in-a-lifetime musical extravaganza featuring Judy Garland and then teenage daughter Liza Minnelli in fine form in front of an adoring audience with a tremendous full orchestra...extraordinary to experience this legendary duo in concert over and over in a program filled with classic songs performed to the max with numerous worn-out vinyl copies to prove it!
Liza coaxed by Judy once advertising had gone out, must have been terrified but rose to the occasion and won over The London Palladium audience with a love affair still going strong today...solo show-stoppers like "Gypsy In My Soul" & "The Travelin' Life" (try singing along with these awesome performances for a real thrill and a very intense vocal work-out!) showed Minnelli with the stuff Superstars are made of and duets with mom are inspired and moving with both great singers in full command. Garland in full rich voice throughout & at an emotional peak is deeply moving and soulful in each great solo spot with "What Now My Love" being one of the most incredible passionate vocal performances ever recorded by any singer. In full glorious voice, Judy smolders and soars through a great orchestration that showcases a phenomenal tour-de-force performance impossible to match or top! Judy's stunning "The Man That Got Away" is dark and moody & richly dramatic while "The Music That Makes Me Dance" from "Funny Girl" is touching and definitive. Forty-five years later this musical teasure is still as fresh and vital as the day it was released and thrilling to experience every time...Bravo Judy and Liza!

I've heard this concert in other forms, from other sources, including some of the "missing" songs on other Capitol Records recordings, so I am puzzled why so many of the songs are still missing? ("Don't Rain On My Parade" for example). And, why is so much of the audience reaction truncated at the end of the performaces ("What Now, My Love", compared, again, to other Capitol recordordings)? Yes, the vocal problems of Garland have been noted, but she is still a superb performer, and Liza is a younger version of the superstar she, herself, has become, and it is great to hear them together. But, it is sad to miss out on much of the interplay with the audience at the same time.

Further, even the liner notes have several typographical errors. Surely legends like Garland/Minnelli deserve a better packaging of this concert than this after such a long delay?

Why include a nonsense song like "Pass That Peace Pipe" and skip out on the excellent rendering by Liza of "If I Were In Your Shoes"? Or, why not include them both? And where's "The Best Is Yet To Come" which was superbly sung by both of them?

What a disappointment this CD package is.

Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli Live at The Palladium is an historic recording. Yes, there are a few things about it that I wish were different: This CD is actually an edited version of the two concerts Judy and her daughter Liza gave at London's Palladium in November of 1964; and I think they could have released an entire night's performance unedited, warts and all--it would still be an amazing delight to hear Judy and Liza all the way through one entire concert! Sure, Judy's voice may have been giving out a little near the end of each evening and some of that was obviously cut; but I can't imagine anything but loving Judy sing and Liza does a heck of a job performing, too. Liza's not completely polished; she was at the tender age of 18 when this concert was performed so she was still evolving into the superstar she would become. However, she complements her mother's performance very nicely anyway. The songs and medleys shine and the sound quality is very good.

The overture is very pretty but it's not the signature Garland overture; this may have been because Liza was performing with her mother. Judy gives a passionate rendition of "Once in a Lifetime" and I love every minute of it! "Just in Time" and "Smile" are very well done by Judy; and listen for Liza to perform great numbers including "The Travelin' Life;" "Who's Sorry Now" and a medley of songs including "Tea for Two" and ""They Can't Take That Away From Me." Judy sings "The Man That Got Away" with all her heart and soul while "The Music That Makes Me Dance" also gets the royal treatment from Garland. Of course, "Over the Rainbow" couldn't be done any better than when Judy sang it.

The duets are every bit as special. Their version of "Hello, Dolly" is positively electric; the crowd (which filled every square inch of that theater) absolutely loves it and it's obvious that these two ladies enjoyed a tremendously positive rapport with the audience. "Together Wherever We Go" and the medley of "Hooray for Love/After You've Gone/By Myself/'S Wonderful/How about You?/Lover Come Back to Me!/You and the Night and the Music/It All Depends on You" are just two examples of how well Judy and Liza could sing duets most powerfully. I especially liked the duets of "Swanee;" "Chicago" and "San Francisco."

Hopefully in the future there will be a two CD version of at least one of the two concerts; this release is well edited but they didn't really need to cut and paste. Regardless of their natural human flaws, Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli wowed their audiences then; and they are every bit as powerful on this album today. I highly recommend this album for Judy Garland fans; and of course Liza Minnelli fans wouldn't have a complete collection without this album, either.

Judy and Liza recorded at the Palladium 44 years ago. Why it took so long to be able to have this concert on CD is anybody's guess as it's a very important part of entertainment history. Such concerts we shall never be able to hear, live or on recording, again. They just aren't performed anymore. When listening it really does send shivers up the spine if you're a diehard fan, especially if you were around to experience such things back in those days. It's not just the talent, but the music, the sound and the audience acceptance which made it all so wonderful. As for the performers, anything Judy Garland did was just incredible, no matter what her mood or condition. In his notes Will Friedwald states that "her voice tires as the show goes on". Indeed it does but that matters not one whit. She still weaved her magic, as she always did. As for Liza, she was only 17/18 and the inevitable immaturity shows. To quote Will again, whe was "...both asset and liability...". How true. Often she sounds particulalry shrill. I can only conclude she felt she had to work extra hard and was overstriving for effect. But that is a minor carp. I believe a double CD version of the concert, which presumably includes patter between numbers and probably other relevant bits and pieces,is also available. It's not necessary to buy that, unless you are a completist. This single CD has it all.

"Judy and Liza: Live at the London Palladium" is an absolute must-have for both Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli fans alike. Despite Judy's aging voice, as far as I'm concerned, everything about this album is sheer perfection. (Well, aside from the small matter that the show has never been released in its 100% full state, but this is beside the point.) This album also marks the quintessential passing of the torch, as it were: as one star was beginning to fade, the other was just beginning her ascent to superstardom. This album is a perfect snapshot of that very historic moment.
Naturally, the album is far more Judy-oriented than vice versa, as Liza was her guest star and not the other way around. You can feel both the airs of competitiveness between the two, yet in other moments, nothing more than mutual love between mother and daughter. I personally feel as though this point in particular contributes strongly to just why this particular album is so gripping and intriguing. Not to mention that while Judy's voice was not the perfectly tuned instrument it once was back in her youth, the imperfections give her voice a smoky, sultry tone to it that wasn't there in younger years.
Which brings us to Liza. Liza had been working a strand of on and off Broadway musicals, as well as having performed on Judy's TV show twice before American audiences. She was no stranger to performing in front of an audience, but was still new enough to the game to still be in the process of discovering her sound and just what her vocal range was capable of. At points, her voice is soft and silky; at others, it's downright shrill and shrieky. Still, despite the nuances in her voice, one can't deny that this was one special, talented young lady who would definitely be going places.
The particular selection of songs used in this performance are a quirky, unusual, and completely unpredictable mixture, but somehow it works splendidly in the way of one magical evening. Everything from the typical Judy standards ("Over The Rainbow", "The Man That Got Away", "Rock a Bye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody", etc.) to tracks such as "How Could You Believe Me?", "Pass That Peace Pipe", "Don't Rain On My Parade". But, with two fabulous divas such as Judy and Liza, "predictable" is never a term that should ever be used to describe either of them. Such is the case with this setlist.
If you're a fan of either (or both!) these phenomenal ladies, then you NEED this album in your collection. You won't regret it!

I picked up the LP version of this concert when I worked at a radio station some 38 years ago. It was being discarded, of all things! What a treasure I found. The combination of Liza and Judy on stage together was absolutely electrifying and the energy they generated song after song was unbelievable, despite the face that Judy's voice was not at its best that night. Still, she could deliver when it counted and she left the audience screaming for more. Liza was only about 17 when this recording was made and her performance was a great prelude to where her career was headed. It's well worth the price to add something this special to your Garland or Minnelli collection. I've listened to it dozens and dozens of times over the years and have yet to tire of it!

Well, another attempt to release this flawed bit of history on CD has once again failed......Garland was one of the finest artists of the 20th century and, even with her "slightly" off -peak performance here at the Palladium, she is still a vocalist above everyone else.....Liza on the other hand, just starting her career, simply screams her way out of practically every number, the worst being the final portions of "Who's Sorry Now", where her final belt is nothing more than a hyper shriek/shrill/scream.......at this point she was imitating her mom & Streisand....to listen to Garland & Minnelli sing the "Love" medley created for and stunningly performed by Judy & Barbra originally just proves how inadequate Liza was as a popular vocalist....she comes across as a vocal version of a little girl trying on her mother's clothes.......Garland's "What Now My Love", "Smile", and "The Music That Makes Me Dance"define the high art of popular vocal singing and are among the best performances she has ever given.

Luigi ~ nyc